Tuesday, January 27, 2004

When is An American Not An American?

Does living in America for 80 years or so, being married to a U.S. serviceman and voting in numerous elections qualify you as an American?  Not necessarily.

"She paid taxes, married a U.S. serviceman and watched him go off to fight in World War II. Her front lawn in Hazlet sports tiny American flags, and a larger flag is draped across the front of her house. Each night, she takes out her rosary beads and prays for the troops overseas.


“I’m an American through and through,” she said.

Or so she thought.

Last September, eight decades after she arrived in this country as a newborn in the arms of her Irish immigrant mother, Finnerty was stunned to learn she may not be a U.S. citizen after all.

The news came when officials with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development rejected her application to move into a federally subsidized senior citizen apartment complex in Monmouth County."

Via Duncan Frissell.

Posted by John Venlet on 01/27 at 07:33 AM
(0) Comments • (0) Trackbacks • Permalink
Page 1 of 1 pages